The Washington critic., 1887-01-25

u
The resolution of Mr.. Lawler of Iii.
nois, introduced in the House Of Repre-.
sentatives yesterday, instructing the
Committee on Naval Affairs TO inquire
into the expedicncy of making an i'm.
mediate appropriation of $50,0OO,OOO
towards the reconstruction of the Navy,
is broad In scope and business like In
tone. We are moi go sure but what 1t
would be the best thing the Govern.
ment could do, to make this lump ap.
preparation, and let the Secretary OF
the Navy proceed to Its expenditure
under the general direction Of Con.
gress.
Such a policy Is SO violently con.
trary, however 10 the picce.meal
method of doing things so long in
vogue, that favorable report on Mr..
LAWYERS resolution is hardly to be ex-
pecied.
Congress seems TO he more or less
Sc, in the singular notion, and has
been for years, that the economical way
10 put through any great public i'm.
provement, like that of our Western
waterways for instance, or the build
ing of coast delences or the deepen
ing Of harbors, or the erection of new
custom houses and postuilices, or Just
at this time, the reconstruction Of the
navy, is to dole out the necessary ap-
propriations in the smallest possible in
stallments, sometimes enough to run
through the year and sometimes not,
but always in such niggardly sums as
to keep engineers and contractors in a
constant worry, and often necessitate
an entire suspension of operations.
By this means, millions of dollars
have been lost. Enough has been
sunk in the Mississippi River to have
made a ship canal Of it, from st. Paul
down, all for the want of compre-
hensivc and systematic plan to begin
with, and the money In hand to carry
it out, without the delays incident to
an annual begging expedition to Wash
ington for more funds.
appropriations of this character, aud
the dickering 1t begets, and the dilemma
in which 1t places members who are
anxious to make reputation for econ
omy and at the same time keep peace
with their clamorous constituents. is a
costly thing TO the Government. In
The general reduction of estimates,
albeit much that is bad and extruva.
CANT in n small way, may be eliminated,
1t is the meritorious measures that in
variably suffer the most.
Now, Mr.. Lawlcrs theory Is, II we
clearly understand II, that In the case
of the Navy, all embarrassmeuts at
tendant upon irregular aud uncertain
legi lation, may be avoided by making
an appropriation outright sufficient to
carry on the work Of reconsiructiOn for
several years withuu, lapse or inter
ruptiop. There are ample means avail
able for the setting apart OF the desired
fund, and the great work once begun
under such auspicious circumstances
could be completed in half the time and
at vastly less expense than on the old
plan, From the laying Of the iirst new
keel 10 the launching Of the last ship,
there would not be an idle day at the
ship-yards or the ordnance founlrles,
and the Secretary instead of being
compelled TO put in deficiency bill
every winter or argue with the Naval
Committee the necessity of another ap
preparation, would simply report from
year to year the progress he was max
ing, and turn in his vouchers 10 Satisfy
Congress that his drafts upon the fifty
million fund had been properly ex
Fenced.